I'm the incredibly blessed mother of 9, "Granny" to 16, and wife of "The Papa," the knight-in-shining-armor whose loving support has made it possible for me to stay home and give my life to mothering, homemaking, and 26 years of homeschooling. Life at Granny's House is full of laughter, friendship, books, music, lively debate, writing, and good things to eat. My days are made even more meaningful by coming alongside other moms, giving them the support and encouragement that I lacked as a young mother and helping them to network with each other in ways that strengthen homes and families. A few times a year I board a plane to visit my "away" kids, to attend the birth of a grandchild, or to enjoy some lazy days with my best friend, but I always love coming back to...Granny's House.

Father's Day was good to The Papa. He got a new TV for our bedroom (see my strategy??), a 32" flat screen HDTV with DVD player. I think he was truly surprised!

In the background, Josh is wondering what all the excitement is about :-)

Here, John attempts to read the instructions but the old arms just aren't as long as they used to be. This indicates the very problem for which the new TV was purchased: he watched almost the entire final game of the Spurs championship standing right in front of the old TV because he couldn't see the score from our bed. (Shoot, I'm not sure he could see Tim Duncan!) I determined then that the Father's Day gift would be this fairly elaborate visual corrective.

Next, son-in-law (and off-duty pastor and painting contractor) Dirk disconnects the old version, which now looks considerably tinier than it did last night.

The Papa unpacks his new toy, assisted by the hordes of grandchildren without whom he no doubt would never have gotten it out of the box :-)

He forgot to wear his T-shirt that says, "I may not be very smart, but I can lift heavy things."

And the new one goes into place...

There's a joke here somewhere...you know, like "How many Calvinists does it take to plug in a TV..."

It takes up the whole top of the chest, but we can both see the picture from anywhere in the room! Happy Father's Day, my dear!

"...Tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done....that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children."~Psalm 78:4-6

My Focal Passage for 2011...

Philippians 2:5-11

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

~Philippians 2:5-11 (ESV)

Oxymoronica...

"The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is generally one of the chief motives to disclose it."

~Samuel Johnson

[Oxymoronica, n., A compilation of self-contradictory terms, phrases, or quotations; examples of oxymoronica appear illogical or nonsensical at first, but upon reflection, make a good deal of sense and are often profoundly true.]